Alya isn’t thinking straight when she sleeps with Jason, Coronation Street’s Sair Khan reveals to Soaplife. And her head spins even more when Gary proposes!
Alya’s not coping well with the death of her dad, Kal (Jimi Mistry). “Alya’s trying to be strong for her family, but her grief is building up inside of her like a pressure cooker and it gets to a point when she just blows,” Sair says.
How are Alya and Gary since the tragedy?
“Gary [Mikey North] is very protective but, in her present state of mind, Alya finds it too much. He tries to stop her drinking with workmates in the Rovers. She wants to make her own choices and feels he’s embarrassing her so she storms out of the pub. Back at the flat, they have a big row, but then she suddenly asks him to take her to bed. She’s all over the place! Gary doesn’t think this is a good idea.”
What happens?
“Getting knocked back pushes Alya even more into this weird spiral and she storms off again. She sees Jason [Ryan Thomas} and she ends up going back to his place.”
Jason???
“Earlier in the week he comes to Alya’s rescue when she’s having a meeting at the bistro with a difficult client. They speak about what she’s going through and she confides in him a bit.”
So what happens between them?
“They have more drinks. In that moment Alya just needs comfort from someone who she thinks understands her and she makes a move.”
How does Jason react?
“He pulls back because it’s a shock - he’s not expecting that from her. But he’s going through his own heartache which Alya doesn’t know about. They’re both being quite selfish in this situation. So things progress…”
They sleep together?
“Yes, and Alya instantly regrets it. She sobers up quickly and the realisation of what she’s just done and the possible repercussions to her family and her relationship with Gary dawn on her. She’s devastated.”
Bet she feels really guilty, then, when Gary proposes…
“His proposal comes out of the blue and compounds her guilt. She realises the things Gary was doing – wanting her to leave the pub and then not succumbing to her advances – are because he truly loves her. The fact she’s just been unfaithful is heart-breaking for her.”
Will she confess to Gary?
“I don’t think she’ll be able to keep it to herself. She’ll try but it’ll be very difficult because she respects Gary so much. I doubt she’ll be able to live with the burden of the lie.”
Coronation Street, ITV.
